The Science Fiction Critic

The Science Fiction Critic was a science fiction fanzine by Claire P. Beck.

The Science Fiction Critic began life in as Science Fiction Review. It was first published in Reno, Nevada, U.S.A. from November 1935 till December 1936, and then by The Futile Press in Lakeport, California, U.S.A. It was a digest sized zine of around 14 pages and was initially published monthly. The first two issues were mimeographed. The third issue, released January 1936, introduces the change of name to The Science Fiction Critic and is letter pressed and side sewn.

No.1, November 1935. The first of 14 issues.

No. 2, December 1935, included the first appearance of editor Beck's column "Hammer and Tongs" and the article "A Slip-Back in STF" by James Blish (The Planeteer).

No. 3, January 1936.

No. 4, February 1936.

No. 5, June 1936, includes a page by Hogo Gernsback concerning the discontinuation of Wonder Stories.

No. 8, March 1937, includes the article "Extrapolation - And Error", by John W. Campbell, Jr. and an article on Clark Ashton Smith's stone carvings and an announcement of two books to be published by The Futile Press.

No. 9, May 1937, includes the article "Was Weinbaum Great?", by Sam Moskowitz (Helios) and a letter from Clark Ashton Smith concerning the death of H. P. Lovecraft.

No. 10, July 1937 includes the unsigned article "Some Notes On Lovecraft" and came with a supplementary advertising leaf announcing the Futile Press publication of Clark Ashton Smith's Nero And Other Poems.

No. 11, October 1937, includes the article "Weinbaum Was Great", by Robert W. Lowdnes.

No 12 (Vol. 2 No. 1), January 1938 is edited by Claire Beck and Groo Beck.